Does anyone remember Marinart? They carried on where Ian Allan left off in the 1970s, producing pocket books such as "European Ferry Fleets", "Ocean Freighter Fleets" and "British Short Sea Fleets" amongst many other titles - all of which I still have! They also published the 1979 edition of "Talbot Booth's Merchant Ships". Amongst their authors were such esteemed names as Roger Jordan, David Hornsby and Jack Gaston. They also had a shop in Deal, Kent, overlooking the beach and when they weren't too busy the staff would happily snap away at ships in the inshore shipping lane and at anchor in the Downs.

I wonder if any of their old authors are still around? I'm surprised that none of them have surfaced here, especially with the wealth of knowledge they must have accumulated over the years. Maybe they are lurking somewhere in the background.

Thamesphil

ruud

25th October 2006, 19:54

Ahoy,
Yep I know/knew those booklets, lately have sold quit a few, they were good information books, I don't think they made that money, to be wealthy from those.I believe the first booklets were about 2/6p,and sold mine for 5 bob a piece but maybe some of them are lurking nowadays, on the internet.

Thamesphil

25th October 2006, 20:59

Thanks for that Ruud. I think that you're right in that they didn't really profit much from these books. By the 1980s Marinart had disappeared and a new company - called Offerpace - started producing similar titles. They didn't last long either though.